“How is my favorite Seven?” he says with his smooth, deep voice. Every time he talks, I think of one of those phone sex operators. I laugh to myself, thinking about it again. Star already knows where my mind is and she slaps my arm. I mouth sorry to her with a smirk on my face. I just can’t help my dirty mind sometimes.
“Chrome, I’m your only Seven.” I sass him.
“EVERYONE LISTEN UP!” Chromes voice carries through the house and the loud chatter comes to an immediate halt. The men all turn and look at the man towering next to me. “This is Seven James-Parker and her husband Levi.” He nods to Levi a few feet behind me holding Marley. “And their daughter Marley. Seven is just as important as my wife Star in this house. You will respect her and treat her as my old lady. No disrespect will be tolerated. She is one of us.”
I laugh because some of these men have been right by my side for more intimate times of my life. They know me from taking out Zane, and if they weren’t there to actually witness it, they heard about it from one of their brothers.
“That is a name I never thought I would hear again…” The voice isn’t familiar as a man starts to step through the crowd. I blink a few times wondering if I am actually seeing a man I once considered a play partner with James at Sinners & Swingers. I could never forget his face, even if he has a ratty ass beard now.
“Jeff?” I question taking in how much he has aged. His hair is short in a buzz cut with grays beginning to come through. His skin is still the same impressive olive tone and his once sparsely tattooed body is now covered. Many of the tattoos being Hell’s Renegade MC tattoos.
“Judge. They call me Judge.” He says in a quiet voice, as if he doesn’t want the rest of the room to hear our exchange. Levi watches carefully from a few steps back, never taking his eyes off of us. Hell, if I was in his shoes, I wouldn’t either. Actually, if I was in his shoes, I would have stepped in and staked my claim already, but given the fact that I am wearing a wedding ring, he doesn’t really have to. The exchange and glances slowly become uncomfortable as we both look at each other, taking in all the changes we have both gone through over the years.
“Well, Judge, it is nice to see you again.” I turn quickly to walk towards Levi and grab Marley. He gives me a look and I only offer him a small piece of reassurance. “We’ll talk about it later. It is not important right now.” I kiss him on the lips, letting my taste linger a little longer than I normally would. Staking claim to him for all the men to see. It isn’t about thinking they will want him, but thinking they will have the nerve to come on to me. And believe me, in the past, some of them have. It honestly has gotten annoying.
Paisley comes in from the kitchen, her little boy Cash perched quietly on her hip just looking around at all the new people in the room. She lucked out with that little boy, quiet just like his father. I always wondered how much different life would be had River been the father of her little boy. Maybe that would have been enough to keep him here in Woodstock. I missed the little shit, even if he was a thorn in my ass sometimes. And I knew deep down, Paisley and Star both missed him equally as much, just in very different ways.
“Getting settled in?” I ask her.
“I never thought we would come back to Woodstock. Mississippi just wasn’t for me. I’d rather have the snow than the humidity and gators. I think it is going to be a harder transition for Diesel’s family though.” She admits. A little less than a month ago, the entire family pulled into town with a caravan of rented box trucks carrying all their lives’ belongings.
“I’m surprised he was able to talk everyone into moving north. I’m sure they will all be on their way back down south the minute the snow starts to fall. Actually, remind me to come over for that. I want to see how crazy these people actually go for the white stuff.” I laugh. “I’m glad you are home, kiddo. I hated you being so far away.” I admit in a moment of weakness. Something that has been happening more than I would ever like to admit since my breakdown. It feels good to actually be open with those I care about in my family though. I’m sure they appreciate it just as much.
The more I think about it, deep down I was always a more emotional person that I let on. Being repeatedly broken for so long just made me turn that off, even if I was dying inside all along. Levi helped me, because he started to bring the real Seven James back to life. He gave me a healthy outlet for the emotions I needed to let out all those years.
“Okay Seven… spill.” Star says and I know she has been waiting to hear about all the drama this week has brought. Through vague text messages, I knew it was only a matter of time before her or Paisley started to ask. I didn’t help my case when I offered her the dirt the second I walked in the door either.
“Where do you want me to begin? Family drama or criminal? I mean, either way we are gonna have a little fun.” I joke. How can I not joke about it all? After so many months of peace and quiet, it was only a matter of time before the peace of quiet country life crumbled.
“Start with family, because most of the time that involves us.” Paisley says. Star nods in agreement.
“Let’s go into the bedroom, I don’t want anyone overhearing this.” They both eye me with curiosity.
“I don’t like the sound of that,” Star says closing the bedroom door behind us and clicking the lock into place. Paisley puts Cash down on the floor and I put Marley down to join him. They play without a care in the world while we all climb up onto Star’s ridiculously big bed for our heart-to-heart.
“I got a message on Facebook today.” I let out a sigh, and continue talking. Not really sure how I want to feel about it all just yet. “Apparently my dad has another daughter. This girl came looking for her father and ta-da Daddy dearest is the lucky winner. Now she wants to meet me because she never had any siblings.”
Star and Paisley both look at me with their mouths hanging open in disbelief. I smile and nod, searching for something to say to break the silence in the room. “Her name is Lyric, and she grew up with a single mom somewhere locally. I’m gonna meet her for dinner on Monday night.” The mood in the room is somber as we all just look at each other, wondering who is going to speak first. They can’t hide the fact that they both have a million questions. I can see it all over their faces.
“What about Blu?” Star asks, looking like she’s seen a ghost. I’m sad even bringing the subject up because I know how much damage my own biological brother did to her. I’ve been so thankful that he hasn’t shown his ugly face around the past year.
“What about him? He is nowhere to be found. Better off he stays away.” I reply thinking about what is best for Star in the long run. I don’t miss him nosing around for money and shit anymore anyway. He was never a brother to me and he never would be anything more than a fuckin’ pain in my ass.
“Do you think she is the real deal?” Star asks, “Or just someone looking for a payday?”
“Dude, I have no idea. But, that kinda brings me to my next story. Ha!” I laugh thinking about Vince. “So remember shitbag Master Vince?” Star looks at me with wide eyes.
“Yeah?” She is quiet with her reply, once again looking like I have struck the completely wrong subject for the night. Apparently I am just batting a thousand.
“Well, he is sniffin’ around for a payday. Says somethin’ about having a video of me and Levi with him at the club. That one threesome we had when I was trying to send Levi running for the hills. He is shopping it around to TMZ and shit. Someone is bound to pick it up.” I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that the video will see the light of day no matter how much I don’t want it to. Telling Star and Paisley about it has made it more real. More final.
“Did he send a letter?” Star asks with little emotion on her face.
“Yeah, how do you know?” I question.
“He sent me one too. He has footage of me and you from the club, he sent an extortion letter to me at the beginning of the week.” She admits. No wonder she wasn’t happy hearing the name Vince.
/> “Shit.” I say, searching my mind for some kind of solution. What can we do? This guy really must be hard up for money if this is the bullshit he is pulling. I wonder how many other big money clients from that club he is trying to fuck money out of?
“What are you doing about it?” I ask her.
“I called Stella Finnegan and Chrome said he would handle it. I am kind of worried about what he means by handle it. It isn’t like people haven’t seen me naked before.” She tries to laugh, but I can tell that she is pained by it all because she isn’t good at hiding her emotions. She never has been, at least not with me.
A light knock on the door sounds and Paisley gets up to unlock it.
Journey walks into the room, her short blonde pixie cut still damp from a shower. Yoga pants and a Hell’s Renegades T-shirt doesn’t flatter her very well.
“What am I missing out on?” she asks as she jumps up onto Star’s bed without a second thought. With the amount of repair their relationship needed just a year ago, it is amazing to see how close they are today. Star is a better person than I am, because I would have never been able to let her back in to my life. Hell, I still keep her at an arm’s length because I know exactly what kind of lies and deception she is capable of.
“Where have you been?” Star asks her.
“I’m guessing with Ryker, considering he wasn’t out there when I walked in.” I wink at Journey and she blushes. She may be an adult, but not by much. Hell she isn’t old enough to legally drink, yet she is running around with a man eight years older than her.
“I have to ask…” I put my arms up in the air in surrender. “Star, how do you feel about your baby sister getting mixed up with a biker in your husband’s gang? Isn’t there like some line they are crossing?” I’m half poking fun at them, and half serious.
“Um… hellllo!” Paisley says, waving her hands around. “I’m married to one!” She continues. I laugh, but Diesel is different.
“Diesel doesn’t count. He isn’t a real biker.” I wave her off. “He isn’t a womanizing piece of shit.” I throw into the conversation.
“Neither is CHROME!” Star starts to yell. I laugh and put my hand up to stop her.
“Please tell me about that blowjob behind Maggie’s again? Exactly. He was a womanizing piece of shit until you broke him like a wild stallion, so don’t give me that shit!” We all burst out laughing, knowing exactly how true the statement in.
Tears stream down my face as Star holds her stomach while she laughs.
“What did I walk in on?” we hear Chrome ask while we all just lay on their bed, laughing.
“Oh god! Babe, she has your number down!” Star continues laughing as Chrome stands there with a less than amused look on his face.
“My number, do tell.” he asks.
“She said I broke you like a wild stallion!” Star gasps for air in between fits of laughter. I can’t help but get involved in between my own chuckles.
“You were a womanizing piece of biker shit. Then she broke you! I heard all about that dumpster blowjob. It’s okay though, because we all love you now.” I laugh and he just turns and walks out of the room. The door slams and the laughter ceases. Shit. I think I just pissed him off. Oh well. He is a big boy, he’ll get over it… eventually.
“So back to Journey and Ryker.” I begin before Journey cuts me off.
“What about us? We have fun and hang out. That’s all.” She tries to ward us all off, but it totally isn’t going to happen today. We are all off our rockers now.
“Yeah, just like Paisley only hung out with River. Okay!” I mock her.
“Hey!” Paisley says in defense.
“Paisley, stop. We all knew you guys had a thing. I don’t blame you. That boy was adorable. If he wasn’t so young, I may have had a little fun with him. Totally beside the point. It is obvious Ryker and Journey are doing more than just hanging out, because if that was the case, they wouldn’t be coming to shit like this… together. They wouldn’t spend that much time together, and she sure as hell wouldn’t be on the back of his bike like an old lady. Just sayin’”
“I am NOT his old lady!” Journey blurts out. “Yeah, we are more than friends. Are you happy now? But, I am not down for all that.” she admits. “I’m young, I don’t want to be tied down to anyone. He is a fun distraction for now, but I’m not gonna stay in this town forever and I’m not going to be some biker’s old lady.” Her words take us all off guard, but I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. Nothing about her surprises us anymore.
“You’re leaving Woodstock?” Star asks. Clearly she was reading between the lines of that conversation. Way more than I was to be able to pick up on that out of everything that was just said. The question hangs in the air longer than any of us would like. Eyes dash from person to person before Journey finally answers Star’s question.
“Yeah, I was going to tell you in a couple weeks, but I guess the subject came up this way.” Journey shrugs her shoulders and begins moving closer to her sister across the bed, before taking her hands. “I have a job offer in Charleston. Since River is there, I won’t be alone and you guys won’t have to worry about me.”
“River is in Charleston?” Paisley asks without trying to hide her eagerness to know. This isn’t going to end well. I can see it already. Paisley is territorial, even though she has moved on with her life. She made her choice, but I think she often struggles with what biology chose for her life.
“You didn’t know that?” I ask, and just sit back waiting to see where this conversation is going.
“River didn’t tell anyone but Chrome where he was going. Yes, he’s in Charleston. He didn’t want anyone to know where he was going. I guess he just needed some time to himself after everything that went down. He is doing well for himself. He owns a club in the historical part of town. Chrome put up the money last year and he paid him back already so he must be doing well for himself.” Star says. Paisley tries to hide the tears building in her eyes.
“I don’t see why you care.” Journey insults Paisley. “You ran him out of town. He had to leave when you and your husband came back!” Whoa. Shit is getting a little deep in here and I don’t think Star or I know where this is going as we exchange glances back and forth.
“Journey, you have no fucking idea what you are talking about! Don’t even go there.” Paisley counters her.
“I know everything!” Journey says as she begins to get off the bed. “Coming here was a bad idea.” She mumbles while she walks for the door.
“You know NOTHING Journey! He pushed me away. He threw me away like a piece of TRASH and if you think he won’t do the same to you, you’re wrong! He can’t love. He isn’t capable of it, Journey. If you think you can go down there, and the grass is going to be greener, you are wrong! Don’t do it to yourself. He is only going to hurt you just like he hurt me.” Paisley gets up from the bed and picks Cash up off of the floor.
“Moving back to Woodstock was a fucking mistake. This place is like living in hell,” she says as she slings her son onto her hip and walks past Journey into the house.
“Journey, listen to her. Don’t leave. Stay here with us. We need you and he needs time alone to get his shit together.” Star says. “I’ve talked to him almost daily since he has been down there and he is finally starting to get things right. If you go down there, it is only going to fuck everything up. Stay here. Ryker loves you and you know that.”
Journey shrugs her shoulders, “But I don’t love him.”
Seven
Present
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Levi asks as I grab my keys from the counter and pick up my Coach bag.
“I think I need to do this alone. It’s only Maggie’s.” I make an excuse. I don’t want Levi to know exactly how nervous I am to meet this woman who very well could be my long lost biological sister. The thought alone is enough to send me into a panic attack, but I don’t let it. Being able to finally control that is a rewarding feel
ing too. I shouldn’t be so scared of building more meaningful relationships in my life. But, it seems like every time I let someone in, it is so much harder to let them go when the time comes. And the time always comes.
“Are you sure, Seven?” Levi asks me again. I just nod in reply this time.
“I’ll be fine.” I smile an unsure smile and walk out of the door.
On the drive to Maggie’s, I think about all the details I know about Lyric already. She is young, only twenty two, and eight years my junior. Not much older than Journey. Young girls scare me. They can be so overly emotional, just like Journey was last night. It drives me crazy because I was never like that at her age. I was always able to keep my emotions in check. Kids these days!
I wonder to myself if Journey knew her. Did they go to school together? Did Lyric’s mother stay in the area because of my father in Hopes that he would actually step up to the plate and be a real father to her daughter? Did my father even know Lyric existed? It’s a heartbreaking thought because I’ve seen women waste their entire lives on a man that would never invest in them as anything more than a piece of ass.
It was just Did my father know Lyric existed? more family secrets. Shit they were all so good at. I jwish they were half as good at taking care of their kids as they had been at hiding shit. We would have all been so much better off. Especially Blu.
As I mull over my thoughts, I find myself in the parking lot of Maggie’s. It’s a Monday night, so not too many people are out and about around town. I think that is one of the things I have found most comforting: the quiet of Woodstock. There are a handful of cars in the parking lot of the tiny diner. None familiar to me though, except the disaster Volkswagen in the corner that belongs to Cindy, the evening waitress.
“Let’s do this.” I say aloud to myself as I finally climb from the car. My mouth is dry and my heart is racing. I keep telling myself I’m not nervous, but that is a lie. I begin to walk up the stairs of Maggie’s and immediately turn to walk back down them. I need to go home. This was all just a bad idea.
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